The Strangers

WORTH-IT: (Bryan Bertino) What begins as a bad teen horror movie, eventually takes flight into one of the best real scary stories the cinema has to offer. Based the the true story of unexplained deaths discovered by two young boys selling door to door, The Strangers takes us along with Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman as they escape to an isolated vacation home for some romantic peace and quiet. Once the script diverges from a love-story gone awry, we are threatened by three masked strangers who appear at every open window, and suspiciously, around corners of the locked-up house. Not only does this plot play on everyone's fear of a lonely quiet house, but amplifies the mind tricks that silence creates. Only in this story, there are no tricks, except for the ones that are tricking you into dying. Once the masked trio make their move, the film is an endless downhill thriller, revving chainsaws, shredding prom dresses and breaking ankles. What is Tyler doing in a horror movie with no other big names (well, since Felicity)? The story is that good. In fact, it's underlying truth only makes this more unbelievable and worth talking about post-cinematic disappointments other horror movies have proved. See this one, expect a little more reality out of a stereotyped story, making staying home alone not okay.